Feed-box for wagon-poles



No. 607,280. Patented July 12, I898. c. SAMPLE.

- FEED BOX FOR WAGON PULES.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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- NITE v STATES ATENT Fries.

CHARLES SAMPLE, OF VALLEY. GROVE, WVEST VIRGINIA.

FEED-BOX'FOR WAGON-POLES SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Batent n 607,280, dated July 12, 1898. Application filed September 29,1 97. SerialNo. 658,499. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SAMPLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Valley Grove, in the county of Ohio and State of est Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feed-Boxes for Wagon- Poles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a feed-box which is so constructed and supplied with such means that it can be conveniently and quickly applied to and removed from the tip end of the draft-pole of awagon' or any other vehicle and which when in position thereupon will enable the draft-animals to be fed without unhitching.

The invention also has for its object to provide a feed-box with such means that it can be firmly and substantially connected with the ordinary draft-pole of a vehicle without in any manner altering the construction of the pole or adding any part thereto, whereby the feed-box is susceptible of general application to vehicle-poles now in use.

The invention also has for its object to provide a feed-box with novel pole-engaging catches or dogs so constructed and arranged relatively to a vertical opening in one wall of the box that when the opposite box-wall is engaged with the tip of the pole and the box is raised the catches or dogs yield, pass by, and automatically engage over the pole and securely retain the box in operative connection therewith in convenient reach of the draft-animals.

These objects are accomplished in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle-pole, showing the feed-box attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at what may be termed the rearside of the box. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the box applied to the pole; and Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of one end portion of the pole to clearly show the tip or yoke-shaped strap of metal applied thereto, as usual.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iwill now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein it will be seen that the feed-box is rectangularin form, and the front wall 1 is constructed with an orifice or socket 2 to receive the tip 3 of the vehicle-pole. The tip of the pole is usually a yoke-shaped strap of metal secured thereto and designed to engage the holdback chains or straps, although the latter mayin someinstances connect with the ends of the ordinary neck-yoke frequently used on poles of this kind.

As shown in the drawings, the strap forming the tip 3 stands vertically; but as these straps sometimes stand horizontal I construct the orifice or socket 2 of cruciform shapethat is to say, in the form of two slots, one arranged vertical and the other horizontal, whereby it is possible to engage the tip with the orifice or socket whether the tip stands vertical or horizontal.

The rear wall 4 of the box is constructed with a vertical opening 5, located centrally thereof and designed to receive the body portion of the pole at a slight distance in rear of the tipthereof, the construction being such that the tip of the pole can be inserted into the orifice or socket 2 and then by raising the box a portion of the body of the pole will lie in 'the vertical opening. The box is retained in this position through the medium of two catches or dogs 6, pivoted near their lower ends, as at 7, to the ends of a metal plate 8, secured to the rear wall of the box directly below the vertical opening 5. The lower ends of the catches or dogs are extended to form finger-pieces 9, while their upperend portions are constructed with hooks 10, having opposing bevels 12. The pivoted catches or dogs are connected by a spring 13, which constantly tends to pull their hooked ends tothe tip 3 of the pole is inserted into the socket 2 andt-he box is raised the pole will act against the bevels 12 and spread the hooked ward each other in, such manner that when p matically spring over and into engagement derstood that these catches or dogs may be otherwise spring-pressed to efiect their automatic engagement with the pole. The box can be conveniently and quickly removed from the pole by simply pressing the fingerpieces 0 toward each other, which swings the catches or dogs and removes the hooks from engagement with the pole, when the box can be lowered and removed.

The box is divided into two separate feedchambers 14 through the medium of partitions 15, which create a space 16 for the reception of the pole. The partitions prevent the passage of the feed from the feed-chambers to the space 16 and serve to separate the food of one animal from that of the other.

The interior of the feed-box is constructed or provided with a block 17, projecting upward to bear against the under side of the pole, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of aifording a firm and solid base of support and also to provide an abutment which lies against the usual loop on the under side of the pole and thus prevents the feed-box from shifting forward.

The plate 8, to which the dogs (3 are pivoted, is preferably provided with stop-pins 1S and 19, which respectively limit the motion of the hooked ends of the dogs toward and from each other.

The construction and arrangement of the parts render the feed-box susceptible of being applied to any ordinary vehicle-pole now in use, as the construction of the pole does not require to be altered, and it is unnecessary to add any part thereto, as nearly all poles possess the yoke-shaped strap forming the tip 3.

My invention provides a novel, simple, efficient, and economical feed-box which can be conveniently and quickly applied to the pole for the purpose of feeding the draft-ant mals without unhitching, and subsequently the box can be instantly removed in the manner hereinbefore explained.

The automatic engagement of the catches or dogs with the pole is a feature which is very desirable and advantageous.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A feed-box having one wall provided with means to engage the tip of a vehicle-pole,

the opposite wall provided with a vertical opening to receive a part of the pole-body, and retaining means carried by the box for engaging over the upper side of the pole to secure the box on the pole, substantially as described.

.2. A feed-box having one wall provided with a socket to engage the tip of a vehiclepole, the opposite wall provided with a vertical opening to receive the pole, and dogs mounted on the box for engaging over the upper side of the pole to secure the box thereupon, substantially as described.

3. A feed-box having one wall provided with a socket to engage the tip of a vehicle pole, the opposite wall provided with a vertical opening to receive the pole, and pivoted spring-pressed dogs having beveled hooks which are spread apart by the pole when the latter enters the said vertical opening and automatically spring into engagement with the pole to secure the box thereupon, substantially as described.

4. The combination with afeed-box having means to engage the tip end of a vehicle-pole and a vertical opening to receive a portion of the pole-body, of pivoted spring-pressed dogs arranged in juxtaposition to the edges of the vertical opening and having beveled hooks at their upper ends which are automatically spread apart by the pole as it enters the vertical opening and springinto engage ment with the pole to secure the box thereupon, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a feed-box having in one wall a socket to engage the tip of a vehicle-pole and in the opposite wall a vertical opening to receive a part of the pole-body, of spring-pressed dogs pivoted to the box in juxtaposition to the edges of the vertical opening and having finger-pieces at their lower ends and beveled hooks at their upper ends, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CIIAS. SAMPLE.

\Vitnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, F. B. KEEFER. 

